Christopher DeFraia is Associate Professor of Genetics at Ferris State University. In addition to teaching, he specializes in educational video production. Chris wanted a website where he could share research from his plant genetics lab as well as his free and open-source video series "Video Production for Teachers and Professors." The videos are meant for all teachers of all subject and cover all aspects of video production including screencasting, voice recording, video editing, and more. 

We asked Chris, "why was now the right time for him to create his personal academic website?" Chris summarized the opportunity here:

1. To serve as a better version of my university webpage for anyone who wants to know more about my interests and qualifications
2. To inform students and potential researchers about my research program
3. To help educate other faculty about using video to teach and serve as a link to those resources
4. To provide a summary of the classes I teach for students interested in taking them, particularly for my independent study course, as this is not listed on my university's website

He created the website from an OpenScholar template in just a few hours, including adding his c.v., video series and headshot. 

What are other reasons why faculty create websites separate from their university or company directory and social media profiles? It typically comes down to controlling the conversation and being able to make site changes whenever, wherever.

A great time to start is when you have important things happening, such as:

5. Collaborating on a project with colleagues from different institutions
6. Launching a book
7. Doing faculty reporting and making their case for tenure
8. Looking for jobs or consulting opportunities
9. Applying for or reporting on grant funding

Do you have one of these milestones coming up?

Get Started with OpenScholar for Individuals here. It's fast and you can use your custom domain for your new website.